Apparatus for false-twisting and plying yarns



Feb. 6, 1968 M. H. COMER ETAL 3,367,096

APPARATUS FOR FALSETWISTING AND FLYING YARNS Filed June 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F INVENTORS' Mmzvm H. Gomez anal Boaav ROY FA\N BYQMM QM J%, 1 49% 9 M ATTORNEY 3 Feb. 6, 1968 M. H. COMER ETAL 3,367,096

APPARATUS FOR FALSE-TWISTING AND FLYING YARNS Filed June '7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QC 1c 1 .Z 9 "2 1 g "5- INVENTORS:

MARvm H. Com-=2 anal BOBBY ROY FA\N ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,367,096 APPARATUS FOR FALSE-TWISTING AND PLYING YARNS Marvin H. Corner and Bobby Roy Fain, Burlington, N.C., assignor to Alamance Industries, Inc., Burlington, N.C.,

a corporation of North Carolina Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,997 3 Claims. (CI. 5734) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A false-twisting frame is spaced from a yarn plying frame to provide an access aisle therebetween so that a false-twisted torque-free yarn is produced in a single continuous operation. The yarn supply packages are positioned on the false-twisting frame and in a convenient location along one side of the access aisle while the yarn take-up packages are positioned on the plying frame and in a convenient location along the opposite side of the access aisle. This arrangement provides ready accessibility to the complete path of travel of the yarn during both the false-twisting and plying operations.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for false-twisting a plurality of separate ends of continuous filament thermoplastic yarn and then plying the separately false-twisted ends together in a continuous operation.

As is Well known, a false-twisted thermoplastic yarn is heat-set while it is twisted in one direction and it is then untwisted. This false-twist process forms crimps or curls in the yarn and also imparts torque to the yarn so that it has a tendency to twist in one direction, depending upon the direction in which the false-twist spindle is rotated. It is the normal practice to ply together two ends of false-twisted yarns which have torque in opposite directions to provide a yarn in which the overall torque is balanced and to thereby provide a torque-free yarn which may be knitted or woven into a fabric. Heretofore, the formation of this type of false-twisted torque-free yarn has required at least three separate operations, as for example, separately false-twisting two single yarn ends in opposite directions, plying the two ends together, and then coming the plied yarn while applying a suitable lubricating oil so that the yarn may be properly fed to the knitting machine or loom.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a main object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for economically producing a false-twisted single end or plied yarn that has balanced torque in a single continuous operation and wherein the yarn is with-drawn directly from the producers supply package and then wound to form a delivery package that may be used directly in a knitting or weaving operation.

The main object of this invention is accomplished by providing a single machine that is adapted to produce a false-twisted and plied yarn having balance-d torque in a single continuous operation. This machine includes a plurality of side-by-side false-twisting stations with means for rotating adjacent pairs of false-twist devices in opposite directions whereby adjacent yarns have torque in opposite directions, means for guiding adjacent pairs of oppositely false-twisted yarns together, means for applying a suitable lubricant to the joined together yarns, and means for plying the oppositely false-twisted yarns together with a predetermined number of turns per inch while winding the plied together yarns to form a delivery package that may be used directly in a weaving or knitting operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a single machine of the type described which includes an elongate false-twisting frame and an elongate plying or winding frame that is spaced from the false-twisting frame to provide an access aisle therebetween. Thus, the falsetwisting, plying and coming operations can be carried out in one continuous operation and the operator can reach the parts of the machine as he walks along the access aisle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means for continuous operation of the false-twist spindles while dofling a filled delivery package of the plied yarn. To this end, a yarn take-up machanism is provided adjacent the twisting and plying positions. The take-up mechanism includes a rotatable shaft or drum on which the yarn is adapted to be taken up while the delivery package is doffed to permit continuous operation of the corresponding false-twist spindles during the dofiing operation so that the machine may be continuously operated.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat schematic vertical sectional view through one side of the present false-twisting and plying machine and illustrating the manner in which the yarn is continuously removed from the supply bobbins, false-twisted, plied, lubricated and then wound onto a package suitable for knitting;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the false-twisting portion of the machine, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the corresponding oiling and plying portion of the machine, looking inwardly in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIGURE 1.

The present textile machine includes false-twisting means in the form of an elongate false-twisting frame 10, only one-half of which is shown in the vertical sectional view of FIGURE 1, and yarn plying means in the form of a pair of elongate twisting or yarn plying frames 11, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. The yarn plying frames 11 are spaced from opposite sides of the falsetwisting frame 10 to provide an access aisle along which the operator may walk on each side of the false-twisting frame 10. In the continuous production of a balanced torque plied yarn in accordance with the preferred form of the present invention, adjacent pairs of yarns are falsetwisted in opposite directions on the frame 10, then guided across and above the access aisle to the plying frame 11 where they are ply-twisted together and wound onto a take-up tube to form a package that is suitable for directly knitting therefrom.

The false-twisting frame 10 includes a plurality of closely spaced false-twisting stations along opposite sides, only one side of which is shown in FIGURE 2. Each of the false-twisting stations includes means for separately false-twisting a pair of continuous filament thermoplastic yarns in closely spaced, side-by-side relationship (FIGURE 2). Yarn feed mean is provided for passing the pair of yarns through corresponding heated zones and false-twist spindles at predetermined speeds.

A yarn support rack or creel 12 supports at least a pair of yarn supply packages 13 at each false-twisting station with the trailing end of the yarn from one package being connected to the leading end of the yarn from an adjacent package so that a continuous supply of yarn Y may be withdrawn from the yarn supply packages 13. As one supply package is exhausted, it is replaced by another supply package and the leading end is tied to the trailing end of a remaining supply package so that when the yarn is exhausted from one supply package, it will be continuously withdrawn from the next succeeding supply'package. The supply packages are preferably pirns on which the yarn is wound by the yarn manufacturer.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the yarn Y is withdrawn from the yarn supply package 13 and passes over a guide rod 14 in its path of travel to a yarn tension device 15, in the.

form of tension disks. The yarn Y is then wound around a lower feed roll mechanism 17 that is suitably driven at the desired speed. The yarn then passes upwardly through a suitable groove in the face of an elongated heater plate 18.

The yarn then passes through a hollow false-twist spindle 19 that is supported on a swing bracket 20 for movement into and out of driving engagement with a drive belt 21. The hollow false-twist spindle 19 may be of any conventional type that is adapted to operate at high speeds, such as the type disclosed in the Dudzik et al. US. Patent No. 3,152,436.

After the yarn Y leaves the false-twist spindle 19, it is wound about an upper feed roll mechanism 23 which is driven at selected speed that is coordinated with the speed of the lower feed roll mechanism 17 to provide a preselected degree of tension in the yarn as it passes over the heater plate 18 and through the false-twist spindle 19. From the upper feed roll mechanism 23, the yarn is passed over a guide roller 24 that is suitably supported above the upper feed roll mechanism 23.

At the guide roller 24 the false-twisted yarn Y is joined with another false-twisted yarn, indicated at Y in FIG- URE 2, which has been false-twisted through a false-twist spindle 19 that is positioned adjacent the first false-twist spindle 19. The parts associated with the false-twist spindle 19' are identical to the parts described in connection with the false-twist spindle 19 and corresponding parts bear likereference characters, with the prime notation added.

The false-twist spindles 19, 19' are preferably positioned for movement into and out of engagement with opposite sides of the drive belt 21 so as to provide rotation thereto in opposite directions. Thus, the adjacent false-twist spindles 19, 19' apply opposite directions of false-twist and torque to the corresponding side-by-side yarns Y and Y. The oppositely false-twisted yarns Y and Y are joined together in side-by-side relationship as they pass over the guide roller 24 to form a composite yarn, incidated at C (FIGURE 1). The composite yarn C thus includes a false-twisted yarn end having torque in one direction and another similarly false-twisted yarn having torque in the opposite direction.

The composite yarn C is then guided across and above the access aisle between the false-twist frame and the plying frame 11 and passes over a guide pulley 30 that is suitably supported on the upper portion of the twisting and plying frame 11 (FIGURES 1 and 3). The yarn C then passes downwardly and through pigtail yarn guides 31, 32 that maintain it in engagement with a rotating lubricant applying roller 33. The roller 33 is preferablyrotated in a suitable lubricant supply trough 34. The yarn C then passes through a yarn pigtail guide 36, a ring traveler 37 and is wound onto the take-up package 38.

- The ring traveler 37 is supported in the usual manner on a ring that is supported on a vertically movable ring support rail 40. The take-up package 38 is preferably formed on a pirn and is Wound thereon in a suitable manner for forming a delivery package from which the yarn may be directly fed on a knitting machine. The package 38 is supported on a rotating spindle 42 which is preferably dnven by engagement with a drive belt 43. The speed of the drive belt 43 is correlated with the speed of the upper bed roll 23 of the false-twist frame 10 to impart the desired number of turns of ply twist per inch to the composite yarn C as it is wound onto the take-up package It is preferred that the composite yarn C be formed of a pair of. oppositely false-twisted yarn ends. However, it is to be understood that the composite yarn C could be formed of more than two ends of the false-twisted yarn, if desired. Also, a single yarn can be false-twisted and wound onto the take-up package 38.

As has been explained heretofore, the trailing and leading ends of successive supply packages 13, 13' are connected so that the yarns Y, Y are continuously fed through the corresponding false-twisting spindles 19, 19'. In order that the twisting and playing frame 11 may also be continuously operated, means is provided for temporarily taking up the composite yarn C while a filled take-up package 38 is being dotted. This temporary takeup means includes a rotatable yarn take-up shaft or drum 50 (FIGURE 3) which is suitably connected to and rotated by an electric motor 51. The electric motor 51 is suitably supported on a bracket 52, at one end of the plying frame 11. The take-up drum 50 extends adjacent each of the plying spindles 42 and is suitably supported at spaced points therealong. A switch 54 is provided to start and stop the motor 51 and the take-up drum 50.

As the take-up packages 38 reach the desired size, the operator may start at one end of the twisting and plying frame 11 and successively dotf the filled take-up packages 38 and replace them with empty pirns. In the dofiing operation, the composite yarn C is led down to and wrapped around the take-up drum or roll 50, which is rotated at the required speed to take up the yarn C at the same rate that it is being produced by the false-twisting frame 10. The filled take-up package 38 is removed from the spindle 42 and an empty pirn replaced thereon while the yarn is being taken up on the roll 50. The yarn C is then guided through the traveler 37 and started on the empty pirn to begin the formation of another take-up package. It is preferred that a transfer tail be formed as the package begins its wind so that during the knitting operation, the yarn may be continuously fed from one delivery package to the next.

In recent years the speed of operation of false-twisting machines has steadily increased in an attempt to more economically process false-twisted, crimped or curled type torque stretch yarns and the false-twist spindles have been improved to the point that they are capable of operating at speeds in excess of 350,000 revolutions per minute. However, in the conventional false-twisting machine there are several factors that limit the maximum operational speed of the machine. One ofthe mimiting factors has been the length of the yarn heater plate 18. This plate has remained relatively short, on the order of about 27 inches, and if the yarn speed is substantially increased, it passes over the heater at such a fast rate that it is not heated sufficiently to set the false-twist in the thermoplastic yarn. Also, the false-twisted yarn is wound onto take-up bobbins that are usually supported in upper and lower decks on the machine. A traverse mechanism is provided for each deck to properly wind the yarns onto the take-up bobbins, which are usually rotated by means of surface contact with a cork roll. Even though the falsetwist spindles of conventional machines are capable of increased speeds, the speed of operation of the machine,

is otherwise limited by the speed at which the traverse mechanism and the take-up bobbins can be operated.

By eliminating the need for a traverse mechanism and the driven take-up bobbins the production speed can be greatly increased. Also, since the false-twisted yarn is guided directly to a ply twisting frame and continuously formed into a package that is suitable for direct knitting therefrom, the conventional rewinding, plying and coning steps are eliminated to further reduce the cost of production of a balanced torque yarn.

The elimination of the traverse mechanism and the upper and lower decks of take-up bobbins provides sufficient room on the present machine to increase the length of the heater plate 18 to about four feet. Thus, the yarn is in contact with the heater plate 18 over a length about twice the length of contact in the conventional machine so that the yarn can be run much faster on the present machine and still be heated to a sufiicient degree to set the false-twist therein. While the length of the heater plate could be increased in the conventional false-twist machine, this would raise the level of the false-twist spindles and the take-up bobbins to such an extent that the operator would have to use a ladder to reach them.

In the present textile machine, the linear speed and tension of the yarn is under continuous Control so that the yarn is of uniform character throughout. Also, the speeds of the feed rolls 17, 23 and the take-up spindle 42 may be correlated to impart the desired number of turns of false-twist per inch in the separately false-twisted yarn ends and to then ply the yarns together with a preselected number of turns of ply twist per inch. For example, with the false-twist spindles 19, 19 rotating at 255,000 rpm. and the linear speed adjusted to impart 85 turns per inch of false-twist to each yarn, the spindle 42 is rotated at 4,000 rpm. to provide a ply twist of 1.2 turns per inch in the composite yarn. The false-twist spindle speed may be increased to 700,000 or more r.p.m.s per minute with a corresponding increase in linear speed of the yarn by the feed roll mechanisms 17, 23 and a proportional increase in rotational speed of the spindle 42 to maintain the same number of turns of falsetwist in the individual yarn ends and the same number of turns of ply twist in the composite yarn. Of course, the speeds of the feed rolls, the false-twist spindle, and/or the rotational speed of the take-up spindle maybe varied relative to each other to provide other yarn constructions, and to increase or decrease the tension in the yarn as it is being processed.

If desired, the lubricant applying roller 33 (FIGURES 1 and 3) and the supply trough 34 may be eliminated and a lubricant applying roller 33 and supply trough 34 (shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1) may be added. The roller 33' is positioned above the access aisle to engage the yarns as they pass from the false-twisting frame to the plying frame 11. When the roller 33' is utilized, the lubricant will be applied to the yarns well in advance of the plying step so that the lubricant will have time to penetrate the yarn before it is plied and wound onto the take-up package 38. Since the lubricant will have penetrated into the yarn, it is not as apt to be thrown off as it is drawn around the take-up package 38 by the ring traveler 37.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. A textile machine for separately false-twisting a plurality of thermoplastic yarns and then plying at least adjacent pairs of the separately false-twisted yarns together in a continuous operation, said machine comprismg:

(a) an elongate false-twisting frame having a plurality of false-twisting stations spaced therealong for separately false-twisting adjacent pairs of thermoplastic yarns in opposite directions, each false-twisting station comprising at least two yarn supply packages, a false-twist spindle spaced above said supply packages, and an elongated heater plate positioned between said supply packages and said false-twist spindle,

(b) an elongate plying frame spaced from said falsetwisting frame and defining an access aisle therebetween, said plying frame having twist plying stations spaced therealong and corresponding in number to the false-twisting stations of said false-twisting frame, each twist plying station including a take-up pack- (c) said supply packages being supported on the lower portion of said false-twisting frame, said take-up packages being supported on the lower portion of said plying frame, and said supply packages and said take-up packages being conveniently located on opposite sides of the access aisle whereby the supply packages and take-up packages are readily accessible from the aisle, and

(d) guide means associated with said false-twisting frame and said plying frame for continuously advancing the separately false-twisted yarns from said false-twisting frame across and above the access aisle and to said plying frame.

2. A textile machine according to claim 1, including lubricant applying means positioned above the access aisle and supported for engagement with the false-twisted yarns as they pass above the access aisle and from said false-twisting frame to said plying frame.

3. A textile machine according to claim 1, including temporary take-up means supported on the lower portion of said plying frame and being operable to collect the adjacent pairs of false-twisted yarn to permit the continued operation of said false-twisted frame while dofiing a filled take-up package at one of said twist plying stations, said temporary take-up means comprising take-up roller means supported for rotation on said plying frame, said take-up roller means extending throughout the length thereof and adjacent said twist plying stations, and drive means connected to said take-up roller means for rotating the same at the proper speed that the adjacent pairs of false-twisted yarn may be wound and collected thereon while the filled take-up packages at said twist plying stations are being dofled.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1960 Great Britain. 9/1960 Great Britain.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

D. WATKINS, Examiner. 

